The present invention relates to a rivetless conveyor chain and, more particularly, to a lubricator for pins connecting adjacent links of the rivetless conveyor chain.
The original rivetless chain was the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 870,704, Nov. 12, 1907, to Weston. The chain which was the subject matter of the Weston patent is invariably referred to as "keystone", "rivetless" or "Weston" chain and has had wide application in conveyor, mining machinery and other industrial uses. Rivetless chain is strong, adaptable as a sprocket chain, and subject to lengthening or shortening by manually adding or removing individual links of the chain.
Generally speaking, rivetless chains consist of alternating units of central links and pairs of side bars joined together by headed pins. Each center link consists of an individual piece of metal having a pair of laterally spaced side walls joined at their end by curved end walls, the side walls and end walls enclosing or surrounding an elongated slot. A pair of side bars, each having an elongated slot at each end, is pivotally connected to each end of each center link by headed pins, each pin having a transverse head on each end thereof similar to the headed end of a "T" head machine bolt. The side bars are formed at their ends with transversely extending recesses on their outer faces in which the heads of the pins are seated to lock the pin in position after the center links and side bars have been coupled together. Each of the center links has a narrow central portion which tapers outwardly adjacent to the ends of the link to form thickened portions at the link ends. When the center links and side bars are assembled by means of the headed pins to form a chain, its side bars and center links are arranged in alternate relationship along the chain, each center link having connected to each end thereof a pair of face side bars and each such pair of side bars being connected at each end to an adjacent center link and so that pivotal movement is permitted between the adjacent center links and side bars about the center of headed pin as an axis.
An improved rivetless chain is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,507,025, May 9, 1950, to Lemmon, which is directed to a center link for rivetless chains having thickened end portions with convexly curved upper and lower faces and a central portion, the upper and lower faces of which are also convexly curved, the curved end portions and central portion of the link being connected by reentrance concave surfaces which merge gradually with the end and central portions without the formation of any sharp lines or demarkation or cleavage. The improved center links set forth in the Lemmon patent are commonly used today, and the present invention is particularly well adapted to be associated with rivetless chains having such improved center links.
The specifications of both the aforementioned Weston and Lemmon patents are specifically incorporated by reference herein.
To extend the life of the chain, increase durability and provide a smoother running conveyor chain, it is desirable to lubricate the connector pin bodies at each link junction. Automatic lubrication systems for chain pins are commercially available. One such device is sold under the trademark "Lubtronics". This type of lubricator provides a desired amount of lubricant at the pin area between adjacent connected links. However, due to the convexity and flatness of the Lemmon and Weston center links at the connector pin junctions, the lubricant generally rolls off the outside surface of the links and does not lubricate the pin. Thus, it is desirable to have a mechanism which is associated with the links which provides the connector pin bodies with lubricant.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide lubricant to connector pins of a rivetless conveyor chain. The present invention provides the art with a reservoir and distribution mechanism for receiving and distributing lubricant from a lubricating device to the body of the connector pin. Ordinarily, the reservoir and distributing mechanism are integrally formed with the center link of the rivetless chain.
From the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and subjoined claims, other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.